Annotation:Rothiemurchus Rant
X:1 T:Rothymurchews Strathspey C:Variations by Robert Mackintosh M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey Q:"Slow" B:Robert Mackintosh – “A Fourth Collection of New Strathspey Reels, also some Famous old Reels” (1804, p. 11) N:Dedicated to the Dutchess [sic] of Manchester N:Robert “Red Rob” Mackintosh (c. 1745-1808) was a Scottish violinist and N:composer active in Edinburgh at the end of the 18th century. Originally from N:Tullymet, near Pitlochry, Perthshire. He moved to London in the last decade N:of his life. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C G2|T(E3DEC3) E2G2 G2AB|cG3TA3G cG3Ac3|T(E3DE)C3 E(G3Gc3)|A3cGc3 TED3D2:| f2|e4 (d3e) d3edA3|(cBcd) {c}e3d cA3cG3|A2AA TA3g {f}e4 d3c|A3cGc3 ~ED3D2:| |:gf|(eg3g3a) g3agf3|e3(aa3b) a3bag3|eg3de3 ~c3dec3|A(aTg3f) ed3d2:| |:g2|{f}e4 Td3c d2e2 {gab}a4|g3fe3e cA3A3c|G3Ac3d (c/d/e3) d3c Ac3Gc3 TED3D2:| P:Variations GF|EFDE (CB,CD) (EEGF) G2AB|T(cBcG) (ABAG) (cGEG) (AGAc)|(EDEC) G,CEG (CE)(Gc) (EG)(ce)|(Ac) (d/c/B/c/) (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) ~ED3D2:| |:f2|(egfe) (dBcd) (dfed) (edcA)|(cBcd) (efed) (cA)(Gc) (Ec)(Gc)|(AFEF) (Ac)(ag) (fe)(ag) (fe)(dc)|(Ac) (d/c/B/c/) (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) TED3D2:| |:gf|(eg)(c'g) (ge)(ef) (gfga) (gagf)|.e(Ace) .a(Ace) (ae)(ag) (abag)|(egfg) (ef)(de) (cBcd) (fe)(dc)|(Ac)(fa) (ga)(fg) {f}ED3D2:| |:gf|(eg)(c'g) (ec)(ef) (gfga) (gagf)|.e(Ace) .a(Ace) (ae)(ag) (abag)|(egfg) (ef)(de) (cBcd) (fe)(dc)|(Ac)(fa) (ga)(fg) {f}ed3d2:| |:g2|c'(c/e/g/) (fe)(dc) T(d^cde) T(fefa) |(g<a)(f<g) (e<f)(d<e) c2A2A2c2|T(G^FGA) T(cBc)d (.c.g.a.g .f.e.d.c)|(Ac) d/c/B/c/ (Gc) (d/c/B/c/) ED3D2:|]
ROTHIEMURC(H)US RANT. AKA - "Rothe(r)murchies Rant," "Rothymurchews Strathspey." AKA and see "Maid in Danger (The)," “Grant's Strathspey.” Scottish, Canadian; Strathspey Rant. Canada, Cape Breton, P.E.I. C Major (most versions): D Major (Skinner). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Alburger): AABBCD (Kerr): AABBCC (O’Farrell): AABBCCD (Athole, Gow, Lowe): AA’BB’CC’D (Perlman): AABBCCDD (Bremner, Emmerson, Glen, Skinner, Skye). The tune was composed and first printed by Robert Bremner (c. 1713-89), who published the earliest collection of specifically Scottish dance music (1757-61) {Alburger}. The melody retains the same characteristics as a rant with the dotted strathspey rhythm. It was a great favorite of the Scots national poet, Robert Burns, who wrote:
Many of our Strathspeys ancient and modern give me exquisite enjoyment...For instance, I am just now making verses to Rothiemurche's Rant, an air which puts me into raptures; and in fact, unless I be pleased with the tune, I never can make verses to it...
The song he wrote to the melody is called "Lassie wi' the lint-white locks." Gow (1799) noted “This tune may be played very slow.” The Irish reel “Graf Spee (The)” is closely related to this tune, although “Rothiemurchus Rant” itself may have been known for many years in Ireland, judging from its inclusion in O’Farrell’s and James Goodman's collections. Scots fiddle-composer J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927) set the tune in the key of ‘D’, “chosen as the key that seems best to suit the character of the tune.”
The strathspey has been popular among Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, musicians, and frequently recorded.
